Printing-press.



G. R. FOGWELL.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.Z5,1910. RENEWED DEO.22,1013.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

MM/ m Qwueutoz UNITED STATES PATENT o FicE- CHARLES R. FOG-WELL, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,'ASSIGNOR T0 MARY I). TAYLOR, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PRINTING-PRES&

pplication filed November 25. 1910, Serial No. 594,057.

Specification of Letters Pfltgntiatcntcd Aug. 18, i914.

Renewed December 22, 1913. Serial No. 808,273.

- To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES Ronnn'r FoowELL,a subject of the King of England, and aresident of the city and countyof Phila delphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inPrinting-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has'reference toprinting, presses and consists of certainimprovementswhich are fully set forth in the following specification andshown in the accompauying drawings whichforin a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction of presssuitable for plate printing as in photogmvnre work in which a moreperfect printing results by reason of a more satisfactory application ofthe ink to the engraved plate and the wiping or cleansing of the surfaceof the same at one and the same operation and by the same means. By myimprovements the most perfect printing possible is attained and at thesame time the operation of printing may be conducted at a very highspeed.

lily invention consists-in means for sup plying ink ,to tho engravedsurface of lilo plate combined with means for pressing the ink into thedepressions or ciwra ed portions of the plate alone and pressuresqueezing back all ink from the uncng'raved surfaces of the plate.

Miore specifically my invention consists of an engraved surface combinedwith means for supplying ink in bulk to the surface. of the engravedsurface, and a hard metal rofijatablc roller making a close contactacross the surface of the plate for simultain-ously pressing the inkinto the recesses or engraved portions of the plate and forcing back allink from the uncngravcd surfa es, said plate being preferably incylindrical form and moved in close contact. with the ro tatable roller.

My invention also comprehcmls the method of printing from etched orengraved plates which consists in applying the ink to the etched orengraved surface of the plate and simultaneously impressing the in: intothe recesses or engraved parts of the plate and squeezing back all inkfrom the unetched oifunengravcd portions of the plate by the rollingcontact with the plate of a hard roller while maintained in Contact withthe plate across its face under great and con st-ant. pressure, wherebythe plate is perfectly clear of ink except in the recesses or engravedportions thereof.

My invention further includes details of construction which, togetherwith the features above set out, will be better unden stood by referenceto the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a plateprinting press embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame; Fig. 3- is a. sectional view on a larger scale taltrn on line fFig. Fig {is an elevation of 'the gap filling plate for the printingplate cylinder; l ig. 5 is a plan view of one of the clamping plates forholding the engraved plate upon the plate cylinder; and Fig. 6 is across section of the ink regulating in =ans.

2 is the main frame and has at its upper end two slotted portions 7 and2G in sub stantial alinenicnt.

3 the type form or plate cylinder and journalcd in fixed bearings 4between the two slotted guide portions.

3 is the impression roller and is prcfcn ably formed of metal coveredwith rubber and. is journalcd in bearings (i which are- ;guidcii in theguide portions 7. These bearings ii are held in position between springs8 and 5'), the latter being adjustable as to ten sion by means of screws10, which may be turncd by the lnitcl' gears l1, transverse shaft l3 andband whccl ll). By this hicans. the amount of tension for the impressionmay be regulated, and at all times, the impression roller is sosupported that it may be forcibly moved away from the plate cylinderwhen necessary, as hereinafter stated.

The roll of paper to be printed indi rated at 14 and is supported upon amandrel which inturn is sustained by suitable bcarlugs 16 on the mainframe. The web of paper passes from the roll alternately around a seriesof tension rollers 17, thence passes between the plate cylinder andimpression roller, thence between feeding rollers 18, and after leaving'the feed rollers, the said web may be sever ed into sheets by cuttingcylinders 19. The said feeding and cutting cylinders may be of anysuitable constrnction.

24 is a pressure and cleaning roller of small diameter and is carried ateach end in bearings 25 which are guided n the the guide way 26. Thisroller 2t rests against the surface of the. engraved plate 37 which issecured about. the. periphery ol' the. plate roller 3. The. ink-well '20extends entirely 5 across the machine being supported at ach cud on themain frame as indicated in Fig.

l, and this ink-well is provided with a transverse opening or slot alongits lower edge so to allow the. ink to flow by grjrznity down upon theroller 24. The opening foru'iod by the slot is regulated by theadjustable gate '31 so that the sheet of ink (lowing down upon theroller 2- and to the engraved plate may be in greater cr less quantityto suit the particular rcquirenui-nts ot' the. engraving of the plate.It is seen that no disturbing rollers are necessary in the structure oithis applieatii'm. The pun pose of the roller 24 is two-fold, i'iamely.to press the ink which is delivered upon it from the ink-well 24?. intothe depressionin the surface of the engraved plate and at the same timeto positively and ellcctiwlv squeeze otl' from the unmigravcd surfacesall of the ink. so that the plate is perfectly clean ot ink except. at.the recessed portions which correspond to the etched or cngg ravc lparts into which the ink is pressed and from which it is to be deliveredupon the. pap r web. This roller l'lis preferably of small diameter andshould be of exceedingly hard. smooth matca'ial. preferably chrome steelaml provided with a surl'acehaving equivalent. to a. mirror finish. assuch a condition is necessary to secure the proper cleaning of thesurface of the etched or engraved plate. v Thc roller 24 is providedwith collars 36 which run in contact with the. ends of the. plateQroller2 and also with a pres sure roller 27 limiting against the outer sideof. the cleaning roller 24; so as to form in etioct a pocket betweenitself and the. etched platc into which the ink from the. ink-well maybe received. The supply of ink is regi (I latod' to suit the consumptionin the priming operation.

The pressure roller 27 is of large diameter compared to the cleaningroller 24 and is carried in bearings 28 guided in the. guide way 26, andits object is to hold the clean-- ing roller firmly up against thesurface of the etched or engraved plate. It; is made of considerablediameter so that it will not spring under the application of pressure to55 its journals and the resistance by its conr tact with the cleaningroller. This pressure roller may be adjusted to the desired degree ofpressure upon the cleaning roller 24 by means of the screws 29, themiter gears 30. 60 the. transverse shaft 31, and hand wheel 32.

Any other means maybe employed for applying the desiredpressure. It isimportant that the cleaning roller 24 shall be of small diametercompared to the diameter of the 65 plate roller, because the smallestpossible line of contact [5 advantageous in securing a proper cleansingof the'surl'ace. of the plate withoutwithdrawing the. ink from therecesses or engraved portions thereof. A roller ol' large diameter wouldnot clean properly because of the extent of surface contact between it.and the plate and which would produce an objectionable suction duringthe rolling operation. It is because the roller 2t should be of smalldiameter thatit becomes necessary to employ a pressure device of somekind to hold it up to the cngrzn ed plate with the proper degree ofpressure. The pressure roller 27 is the prel'crred Form oi" applyingpressure to the cleaning roller 24. but it is evident that any otherequivalent device may be employed in lieu thereof.

l prefer t gear the. plate cylinder. the impression roller and thecleaning r ller together by suitable gears 33. 34 and 35 respectivelysecured to theshafts of these rollers. Such gearing is shown on one endonly. but may be applied to both ends. it' so desired. It is not.necessary to apply any gears to the pressure roller 27.

it will be understood that while it is desirablc that the roller 2-4shall be positively rotated. this result does not necessarily requirethat it shall be geareddirectly as shown. I have. shown the manner of rotating it in the simplest form of my invention. but it is evident that.the said roller may be trietionally rotated if so desired.

While the engraved plate may be secured to the. surface of the platecylinder in any suitable manner, such as by forming it as a tube andslil'iping it in place upon the cylinder. I prefer to employ etchedcopper plates which are stretched about the pcriphery ol the platecylinder: and the means or securing: such plates in stret hed conlitionwhich I prefer are herein-shown.-

Thcy consist of a plate 37 of approximat.cl N0. 24 gage. the ends ofwhich are preferably beaded or wired, ,as at 38. These beaded ends areclamped between two plates 39 and 40, which are secured together byscrews 41. These. plates are then pulled down with the. ends of thecopper sheet into a recess 4-4. across the periphery oi" the platecylinder 3, by means of screws 42. thereby drawing the. copper sheet orplate 37 over the, edges-43 of the roller and put ting it under thedesired tension. The gap formed by the recess t-l may be closed by aplate. 45 having feet 46 which are secured to the. roller by screws 47.The outer surface of the plate 45 is preferably curved to correspond totheeurvature ot' the engraved plate 37. Any other means of attael'iingthe engraved plate and gap closing plate may be. employed, if sodesired.

If desired. the impression roller 3 may be moved out'of contact with theplate roller during the passage of the gap filling plate 45 under it,and this is secured by providing the impression roller with collars 49at each end and providing the plate cylinder with small cam portions 48which are arranged in radial alinement with the said gap filling plate45 and which thereby move the impression roller against its springs 9and away from the plate cylinder during the passage of the said part 45.

In this application I make no claim to the specific means for stretchingthe engraved or etched plate about the cylindrical surface of theprinting cylinder as that will form subject matter of a separateapplication.

\Vhile I have described my invention in the form in which I prefer toemploy it, I do not restrict myself to the details as they, may bemodified in various ways without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1.111 a plate printing press, the combinwtion of the plate cylinder having thereon an eng-aved or etched plate,means for rotating. the plate cylinder. with means for applying ink tothe surface of the said engraved or etched plate. a roller of smalldiameter and highly polished surface and of exceedingly hard materialrolling in close contact with the surface of the engraved or etchedplate at a point in rear of the application of the ink thereto andconstituting the sole means required for removing-the ink from theunengraved portions of the plate,aud means for positively rotating thesaid roller of small diameter at the same surface speed as the etchedplate on the plate cylinder, whereby said roller performs a dualfunction of pressing the ink into the engraved or etched portions andremoving the ink from the smooth or unengraved or unetched portions.

2. In a plate printing press, the comb-ination of a rotating platecylinder having thereon an engraved or etched plate, with means forapplying ink to the surface of the said engraved or etched plate, aroller of small diameter and highly polished surface and of exceedinglyhard material, roll-. ing in close contact with the surface of theengraved or etched plate at a point in rear of the applicationwf the inkthereto and constituting the sole means required for re moving the inkfrom the unengraved portions of the plate, and means for positivelyrotating the said roller of small diameter at the same surface speed asthe etched plate on the plate cylinder. whereby said roller performs adual function of pressing the ink into the engraved or etched portionsand removing the ink from the smooth or unengraved or unetched portions,and means for varying the pressure applied to the said cleaning roller.

3. In a plate printing press, the combina: tion of a plate cylinderhaving thereon an engraved or etched plate with an impression roller forprinting from the plate, means for delivering ink to the plate on theplate eylinder,-a pressing and cleaning roller of relatively smalldiameter compared to the diameter of the plate roller and formed ofexceedingly hard material with a smooth surface for simultaneouslypressing the ink into the recessed or engraved portions of the plate andalso for removing the ink from the unengraved portions of the plate, anda supporting roller of relatively large diameter as compared to thepressing and cleaning roller for forcing the said roller toward theplate cylinder and in close contact with the plate thereon.

l. In a plate printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder havingthereon an engraved or etched plate. with an impression roller forprinting from the plate, means for delivering ink to the plate on theplate cylinder, a pressing and cleaning roller of relatively smalldiameter compared to the diameter of the plate roller and formed ofexceedingly hard material with a smooth surface for pressing the inkinto the recessed or engraved portions of the plate and also forremoving the ink from the nnengravcd portions of the plate, a supportingroller of relatively large diameter as compared to the pressing andcleaning roller for forcing the pressing and cleaning roller toward theplate cylinder and in close contact with the plate thereon, and positivemeans for rotating the pressing roller and plate roller in oppositedirections, and means to adjust the supporting roller to regulate thepressure of the pressing roller upon the plate on the plate cylinder.

In a plate printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder havingthereon an engraved cr-etohedflplate, with an impression roller forprinting from the plate, means for delivering to the plate roller, apressing and cleaning roller of relatively small diameter compared tothe diameter of the plate roller and formed of exceedingly hard materialwitha moth surface for pressing the ink into-the recessed or engravedportions of the plate and also for removing the ink from the unengravedportions of the plate, a supporting roller of ret atively large diameteras compared to the pnessing and cleaning roller for -"forcing thepressing and cleaning roller toward the plate cylinder and in closecentactwith the plate thereon, positive means for rotating the pressingand cleaning roller and plate cylirr der in opposite directions, andmeans to id just the supporting roller to regulate the pressini'e of thepresaing and cleaning roller upon the plate on the plate cylinder, andgears l)('l.\\'l,"tll the pre--sinfg and cleaning roller and the plateeylinder to an e the former in rotate at nl slantially the 5211110snrtaee .wpeeil asthe latter.

t3. In a printing press, the Hmihination o a plate t'ylinder. a pressingand (leaning roller for pressing the ink into the etehed or engravedportion of the plate and removing the ink from the nnenfiraved portionsthereof. and a supporting roller of relatively large diameter eompa redt the pressing and eleanifng roller for suppnrting the pressing and(leaning roller and lUl't'iItLI it into conta twith the plate of theplate cylinder,

the axes of the ylinder and rollers heing ar tinged in the bllllltplane.

7. it a plate rinting pres- 1. a plate eyliir der eonsietin e' ot arvlinder having a l ngitudinal reees :lli't its tare. eom ined with theetched or en; n- 1rd plate ;ll'i';tl'l;{ttl ahont the eirenmlerenee ol'the evlinder and having its opposite ends extended into the reeess,means tilting into the i't't'ess for providing a hridgge over the reeesxan inking roller, an iinpresdtm reller perating in eontaet with theplate ol' the plate e -linder and means for antomatieally moving: theinipresxion roller out o! eonttnt with the plate eylinder and its plate,during the int iwal that the reet 1d portion of the plate r gliie derandjh bridging means pa impression roller.

8. In a plate printing p: as. a plate evl a (101' having 2-.longitudinal re -es;v at l' i ii fat-e, combined with the etehed oret;;'rn\t"l plate arranged aliont the eirenmterenee o" the roller andhaving itr; opporitr wi h; extended into the reee; a pre .--in; andeleaning' roller for prea ine ink inn; the. engraved portion of theplate and l'-;tl':\'ili the ink from the nnenuraned portions: thereof.a. bridging plate ranged within the recess of the plate roller and ha\.iits outer 2'. surface rnrved to the rnrvatnre ol the plate which isarranged ahont the plate evlinder and arranged aaa tftllltihllfttitlttot the ear ature of the plat ll 'l' fifi the reeeas ol' the evi- -inderfor supporting; the presaing: and cleaning! roller (llll'llltf therotation of the plate cylinder.

9. In a plate printing press, the. t'oinhination of a plate evlinderhaving thereon an engraved plate. illtfttllr: for delivering ink forapplication to the engraved lines of the plate, and nn tary means forsimnltaneensljv pressing! thev ink inth the engraved parts of the plateand pressing hat-k all ink from the nnengraved portions thereof on theame transverse line arross the engraved plate at any mom nt to eon'ipletelv remove all snrplus ink and pat the. inked plate in condition forimmediate printing.

it). In a plate printing press. the ei'nhination of a plate eylindeilaving; thereen an engraved plate, in ans for delivering ink forapplieation t the engraved lines of the plate. and unitary means torsimultaneously pleasing the ink into the engraved parts, of the plateand pressing haek all ink from the nnengraved portions thereof on thesame tranaverhe line aero the engfaved plat at an moment to eompletelyremove, all ear plus ink and put the inked plate in condition forimmediate printing, said means consisting' (it a hard snrl'aee moving ineontaet with the plat and traveling therewith eon tinnally in the samedirection.

ll. In a plate printing press. the eotnhina tion of a plate cylinderhaving thereon an engraved plate, in an 'lor delivering: ink for:ipplieation to the engraved linen' ol' th plate. and unitary n'ieam forsimultaneously i). t$' l!lf the ink into the engraved parts of tie paz'and preasing hark all ink from the nnenszraved portions thereot on thesame l'i'tli: verse line il l'tlfil'i the engraved plate at any mrnzentto eompletetv rem ne all tilll' plm ink and put the inked plate inenndition for immediate printing. said means emist inn; aolt-lv of asmooth metallie moving snfare eonilinnoin'lv traveling in the same di re-thin in eontae-t with the engraved plate. and twain; aeting on the endand inlet-inelitt e pin'tinw; i'or pl'tfislllfl said moving; snrintoelose eontaet with the moving en 51' l plate.

l... in a plate printing prefix, tl'irom inm iinn of a plate. erlinderlaw in thens za's nl plate. a hard .--niooth m tal roller l5! ilainf aeontaet. with the plate and arl nfi' I the .lit-ItllF- l or preislngfthe ink into the n gr; '1(i p'ttioin' ol' the plate and an i illtJliHlnr rem iin all oi the ink l'r nn lle :n'aved portiona ol the plal andat i-ik z-i pplying tll 'illh lor :nipl :in; ink lth rull-i". aid plav\nhstan l 'l' ;-1 the plate vvher ev the ink is appiie'd to the en-,Q'raved l'ti(!l|: n" the plate.

12). in a plate printin; e f prew, the eoinhinw tion of a plateevlinzler liavin; th engraved plate. a hard :anooth metal roller makinga rolling eontaet \\ith the plate and aeting at; the m ans for ]ll'tll\'lll,' ,1' the ink into the r.- ;raved portion v ol the. plate andin: the. sole mean tor removing all of the. ink from Lllt' nnengtravedportions oi the. plate. in tilts act.- ing won: the. length of theroller to l'oreihly press it against the engraved plate, an inksupplying lllftlltH for supplying 'nk under th tion of gravity to therolleeand plate anhstantially aero.--.- the plate whereby the inkisapplied t0 the engraved pertionset the ate, and a gate for regulatingtin quantity of ink delivered.

ll. The herein tlttsel'illtitl method wt print. ing: from intae'lioplates which eonaisti in Elmllltl -applyin the ink to the surface of theininked and cleaned ready for printing.

15. The herein described method of printing from intaglio plates, whichconsists in applying ink to the plate and simultaneously impressmg theink into the engraved portionsof the plate and squeezing back all inkfrom the smooth or unengraved portions of the plate by means of apolished hard metal traveling surface presed in close contact with theintaglio plate and being the sole means for the purpose.

16. The herein described method of print ing from intaglio/plates, whichconsists in applying ink by graiity to the plate throughout the width ofits engraved portion and simultaneously impressing the ink into theengraved portions of the plate and squeezing back all ink from thesmooth or unengraved portions of the plate by means ofa polished hardmetal traveling surface pressed in close contact with the intaglio plateand being the sole means for the purpose.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

CHAS. R. F OGVVELL.

Witnesses;

R. M. HUNTER, R. IM. KELLY.

